T U E S D A Y , J U L Y 2 6 , 2 0 0 5Questions For John Robertsby Michael in New York on 7/26/2005 01:49:00 PMIt seems Sen.</p><p> Durbin beat me to the punch about questioningJohn Roberts over Catholicism and his ability to faithfullyuphold the Constitution.</p><p> We don't know what Roberts' positionreally is -- would he recuse himself right away from any case(Roe v Wade, contraception, gay rights, stem cell testing, etc?)where the Church has taken a firm position? Or would he onlyrecuse himself if he had decided the proper way to voteconflicted with Church teachings? In either case, such a stancewould make Roberts unacceptable.</p><p> In the first case, Robertswould be unavailable for countless important Court decisions --how'd you like to lose a vote on Roe v Wade, Radical Right? Inthe second case, Roberts would be refusing to uphold theConstitution and vote accordingly because it would conflict withChurch teachings.Here's how I was going to start tackling this:Judge Roberts, can you describe to us in detail any time inyour career when you've written or signed onto a brief orargued one side of a case or made a judgment that conflictswith the teachings of the Catholic Church on a major issue?In other words, tell us about any time you have worked asa lawyer or advocate or judge or public official on ANY issuethat the Church has strongly condemned or opposed.Obviously, this would include issues such as reproductiverights, availability of contraception, equal rights for allAmericans to include gays and lesbians, stem cell researchand so on.Judge Roberts, the Catholic Church used to bend overbackwards to make clear that Catholic public officials likeJohn F.</p><p> Kennedy Jr. served their people and their countryfirst and did not answer to Rome.</p><p> That has changeddramatically in the past five years.</p><p> Now the Church ismaking it clear that it believes Catholic politicians andpublic servants and even citizens MUST answer to Rome.</p><p> Ifyou do not vote the way the Church tells you to vote -- forexample in Presidential elections -- a growing number ofbishops around the country with the approval of the Popemay deny you Holy Communion.</p><p> The Church has said if youdo not vote the way the Church tells you to vote that youare committing a mortal sin.</p><p> Catholics who commit mortalsins and don't repent of them and promise to avoid them inthe future are condemned to hell.</p><p> The very real possibilitylooms in the future that Catholic public officials who don'tvote the way the Church tells them to vote may bethreatened with excommunication.</p><p> There is no questionthat upholding the Constitution and doing your duty as apublic servant would mean going against Church teachings-- for example, every Catholic politician who voted tosupport the invasion of Iraq went against the beliefs of PopeJohn Paul II who condemned that invasion as unjust.</p><p> JudgeRoberts, have you ever in your life taken a stance on apublic issue or a law for which the Church would nowthreaten to withhold Holy Communion from you? Are youwilling to uphold the Constitution, even if it means beingdenied Holy Communion, committing a mortal sin andpossibly being excommunicated from the Church? (Andwhen he says capital punishment, ask for another one --the Church has made clear it doesn't place capitalpunishment on the same level as abortion, gay rights,contraception, etc.)What questions would you ask? 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